prevent the abuses associated with child marriage and as an authority to deal with all questions relating to Indian customs and religion. He offered to choose members for the panchayats and stated that it would help preserve Indian customs, minimise dissatisfaction and promote greater unity amongst the Fiji Indians. The Agent-General of Immigration agreed that panchayats were a good idea, but after finding out more about its administration in India and other indentured-labour colonies, concluded that no panchayats existed in other indentured-labour colonies, that it was too risky and the time was not right for its introduction. Opponent of child marriage In 1919 the Legislative Council debated amendments to the Marriage Law to recognise religious marriage amongst the Fiji Indians. Badri Maharaj introduced an amendment to raise the legal age for marriage but retain lower age limits of thirteen for girls and sixteen for boys for legal betrothal ceremonies. He explained the Hindu culture regarding marriage at that time but the Legislative Council ignored him and never considered the possibility of granting the Fiji Indians authority to define their law. Supporter of Government policies Madri Maharaj was seen as a "man of character" by the Government but had little following amongst the Fiji Indian community. When Vashist Muni arrived in Fiji, in 1920, and conducted meetings in different parts of the Western Division, Badri Maharaj provided confidential reports on his activities to the Government. In one report he noted that the Sadhu’s followers were "businessmen, planters and civil servants" referring to the people who joined Vashist Muni at Penang as "renegades". Badri Maharaj was the only Fiji Indian member of the Indian Franchise Commission, appointed in August 1920 (between the two strikes), to establish the means to provide Fiji Indians with elected representation. He was not present at most of the deliberations, even though one of the issues discussed was whether election should be through the use of panchayats, and had no influence on its outcome. On 31 January 1920, the Governor formally appointed a Commission under the Chief Justice to enquire into and report on existing wages and the cost of living and to indicate whether existing wages and salaries provided for a reasonable livelihood, and if not, to suggest measures necessary for adjustment. Badri Maharaj was one of the commissioners. Badri Maharaj opposed the 1920 strike by workers in the Central Division. He called for workers to return